I wondered how much time needed to pass before I would feel comfortable surrounded like this again.
Mentally, I shook off last night’s horrors and cast another look around the room. A few of the seated men were rubbing at their necks, holding their gazes pointedly above my neck. Another fair-haired Fae, one with thin-rimmed glasses perched on his sunburnt nose, cleared his throat uneasily.
Clothing! I should have dressed. But even in their discomfort, their eyes never completely left me. Watchful. Distrusting. I couldn’t blame them.
“Reagan!”
I knew that voice. My head whipped to the side and I stared, incredulous. “Nevaeh?”
She moved, scooping me into a hug before shoving a pile of clothing toward my arms with a pointed look.
I blinked at her slowly. “What are you doing here?”
Nevaeh’s glance flitted to the Fae around her, resting on a golden-skinned Fae with spiked black hair who had finally switched his attention from me—to her.
“I . . .” She looked at the clothes I hadn’t taken and nudged them toward me again. “You should get dressed first.”
“Right—”
“Fae modesty,” we murmured together.
The corner of my lips twitched, even as I studied her nervous expression. Nevaeh was never nervous. I slipped into the ripped black pants and cropped band t-shirt—and could actually feel the tension level lower. Over bare skin. Ridiculous. I couldn’t resist smiling.
“Nevaeh, I don’t understand. What is—” I gestured to the room, stumbling on my words.
Instead of answering, she looked to the middle-aged Fae standing beside me. He was handsome, with bright blond hair and a warm smile. For a split second my attention snagged on the laugh-lines that edged his sparkling blue eyes. His mouth twitched in amusement. “Welcome to the Fae Rebellion, Night Enforcer.”
“Reagan is fine,” I murmured. My eyes shot around the room again, pausing on each form. Fae Rebellion?
What did I walk into?
“I’m sorry, Reagan,” Nevaeh said. She fidgeted with a loose thread on her shirt. “I wanted to tell you. I really did. But I couldn’t.”
“That’s right,” the man said. “She’s a good little spy and has never once ratted us out.”
Nevaeh snorted. “That joke does get old, you know.”
Several of the Fae snickered. I tried to gauge the room. Despite the tension, the joke had set them more at ease. This didn’t feel like a newly established group. Nevaeh jabbed me in the side, narrowing her eyes in concern.
“Sorry, I’m—” I considered the right word to use. “Surprised. I guess I didn’t really know what to expect when Benji approached me.”
“Understandable,” the blond Fae beside me said. He had to be in charge. “We don’t exactly broadcast our organization. You can call me Rebel Leader, by the way.” He winked and a few of the Fae chuckled.
When he stuck out his hand I hesitated, then accepted the offer. His grip was firm as we shook and I said, “Nice to meet you.”
“Don’t worry.” He smoothly released his grip. “We don’t bite. Well, except Nevaeh maybe.”
My eyes fell to the crescent mark on my arm and my eyebrow lifted at the irony. But I said, “I guess the biting falls more in my domain, huh?”
“As a rule, yes, but some Fae have fetishes of their own.” His broad smile dimmed a little. “But let’s get down to why we asked you here. Our little spy brought us word of your father’s new Fae employees. Is the information accurate? Are they under quarantine lockdown?”
“Actually, that’s why I was so eager to accept your invitation.” I swallowed and met his inquisitive stare, the words flowing before I could filter them. “Mordecai is claiming they’re under quarantine, but that’s not the case at all. He has terrible plans and I . . . I need help.”
Rebel Leader glanced at the other Fae men in the room, silently communicating, then scratched his chin. “I’m listening. Tell us what you know.”
My heart pounded against my ribs. I took a steadying breath. Treason. This was treason. Once I told them what I knew, there was no going back. If I told them Mordecai’s secrets, I was firmly taking a side. Good or bad.
I blinked slowly. For a second, the only thoughts that fluttered through my mind were of one Fae in particular. Of the scars that littered his body, the damaged wings he was forced to hide, the silly blush that climbed up his neck whenever I was around . . .
I told them everything.
Every detail of what I had seen on that locked computer, a brief description of the mansion’s layout, including the mines; anything and everything I thought might be relevant. The words spilled from my lips. Toward the middle of the story, Nevaeh’s hand gripped my arm. I kept talking. When I finished, my gaze fell to the floor. Even though I knew I had made the right decision, my chest was heavy. I was still so worried about backlash and betrayal. From both sides.
When did I become so afraid?
Rebel Leader regarded me with kind eyes, as though he could read my thoughts, but a calculating light shone behind them. He rubbed at his chin a second longer, then motioned to Nevaeh. They must have done this routine before because she turned to me, gently drawing me into a corner as Rebel Leader moved for the other Fae.
While they quietly conversed, Nevaeh picked at my hair and blew out a gum bubble. When she started to braid the blue and black strands together, I batted her hands away.
“What the hell are you doing?” I whispered.
“Trying to comfort you. You look stressed.”
“Yeah, maybe a bit.” I narrowed my eyes. “I just found out my shifter best friend is spying for the Fae. Even after all these years of warning me to be careful.” Nevaeh winced a bit but I added, “How long have you been a spy? Are you keeping anything else from me?”
Her nose twitched. “Three years. And no, nothing else.
